Large dogs are prone to this. Insert your own punchline here:_____________
I've had a bad hip for at least the last 20 years (it will suddenly "go out", feeling like it's just not quite in the socket, sudden loss of strength, and -- since late August -- nearly constant aching). This past week, I finally went to see a specialist.
The verdict?
I have hip dysplasia.
It's a very mild case, but basically my hip is deformed: the socket part of the ball-and-socket-joint doesn't quite cover the ball -- the top of my thigh bone. What does that mean? Basically, when I've described the pain as feeling like the ball of the joint wasn't quite seated in the cup of the socket, that was exactly the situation. There's also a likelihood that there's a tear in some of the cartilage around the hip.
The good news is that with some straight-from-the-pit-of-Hades physical therapy-prescribed strengthening exercises for my hip abductor, abdominals, buttocks and other muscles, I should be able to avoid the sudden excruciating pain.
The constant ache, however, is not only not going away, but has begun to get worse. Some of this is probably due to muscles I'm not used to using being pushed a lot (can I just say for the record that I HATE the exercises I have to do?) and some may be due to tears and/or disintegration in a part of the cartilage called the labrum (sounds naughty, doesn't it?).
As islandsmoke can attest, this is making me Cranky. Uh, Crankier. Über-Crankier.
My apologies to all and sundry who wind up having to deal with my unmedicated personality.
The verdict?
I have hip dysplasia.
It's a very mild case, but basically my hip is deformed: the socket part of the ball-and-socket-joint doesn't quite cover the ball -- the top of my thigh bone. What does that mean? Basically, when I've described the pain as feeling like the ball of the joint wasn't quite seated in the cup of the socket, that was exactly the situation. There's also a likelihood that there's a tear in some of the cartilage around the hip.
The good news is that with some straight-from-the-pit-of-Hades physical therapy-prescribed strengthening exercises for my hip abductor, abdominals, buttocks and other muscles, I should be able to avoid the sudden excruciating pain.
The constant ache, however, is not only not going away, but has begun to get worse. Some of this is probably due to muscles I'm not used to using being pushed a lot (can I just say for the record that I HATE the exercises I have to do?) and some may be due to tears and/or disintegration in a part of the cartilage called the labrum (sounds naughty, doesn't it?).
As islandsmoke can attest, this is making me Cranky. Uh, Crankier. Über-Crankier.
My apologies to all and sundry who wind up having to deal with my unmedicated personality.